Cabin air filter box

[Dutch]

During the week I recieved the cabin air filter kit for cars without a cabin air filter from Mopar Super Center. Thanks, guys! That's a lot of plastic for the money!

Anyway, can anyone offer me guidance on how on God's green Earth I'm supposed to cram this thing into my car?

Thanks in advance.

[mnunes]

There's a pretty decent article on lxforums (http://www.lxforums.com/board/showthread.php?t=11337) that goes through it without doing lots of disassembly.

Yes, it's a lot of plastic but only part of it (the small inner plastic part) needs to be installed; the other part (the main outer plastic shell) is already installed at the factory so you can dispose of most of what you received. (Now it looks more like what you paid for.)

I found it to be a royal pain in the a$$ to do it without disassembling things, taking off wiper arms, etc. (very tired fingers from prying at awkward angles for a long time) but it finally did fit. If I had to do it again, I'd do the disassembly to gain easier access.

Make sure you either take your computer with you or print out the lxforums instructions; it will make the job lots easier than having to make notes of where things go.

Good luck!

[NorthernInferno]

It's not as difficult as it seems. Follow the instructions that came with it step by step and it will take 45min to 1hr., yea I know I'm slow. I had to replace the entire plennum on mine -factory assembly out -aftermarket assembly in. Why don't they come installed?, can't imagine anyone not wanting it.

[Dutch]

Thanks, guys.

[Ted@MPSC]

For vehicles that do not come equipped with the cabin filter, here is the details on the installation of this.

1. Remove the cowl screen on the passenger side of the engine compartment.
2. Remove the top lid from the air intake housing. (Item #2 in Pic)
3. Install Housing #7 in it's place.
4. Slide Filter #8 into the housing #7
5. Re-attach the cowl screen

This can be done within 20 minutes time.
That is it, nothing else to do, from this point forward, all you would have to change is just the filter.

http://www.moparsupercenter.com/bb/uploads/details.gif

[Ted@MPSC]

HOUSING-FRESH AIR INLET
WARNING: Refer to the applicable warnings and cautions for this system before performing the following operation (Refer to 24 - HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING/PLUMBING - WARNINGS) and (Refer to 24 - HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING/PLUMBING - CAUTIONS). Failure to follow the warnings and cautions could result in possible personal injury or death.
NOTE: The fresh air inlet housing must be removed from the vehicle for removal of the HVAC housing.
NOTE: Early model year vehicles use four nuts to secure the fresh air inlet housing to the dash panel. Vehicles built later in the model year use only two nuts to secure the fresh air inlet housing. If replacing a early model year design fresh air inlet housing with the late model year design housing, a stud will need to be removed from the dash panel to allow the new design housing to mount properly.

1. Disconnect and isolate the negative battery cable.
2. Remove the cowl top panel from the dash panel (Refer to 23 - BODY/EXTERIOR/PANEL-COWL TOP - REMOVAL).
3. Remove the two bolts (1) that secure the strut support (2) to the left side strut tower (3).
4. Disengage the wiper motor (5) from the bracket (4) located on the strut support.
http://www.moparsupercenter.com/bb/uploads/step1.gif
5. Disengage the retainer that secures the wire harness (4) to the bottom of the strut support (3).
6. Remove the purge solenoid (5) from its mounting bracket and position the solenoid out of the way.
7. Remove the two bolts (1) that secure the strut support to the right side strut tower (6) and remove the support from the engine compartment.
8. Position the powertrain control module (PCM) or the engine control module (ECM) (2) (depending on engine application) out of the way.
http://www.moparsupercenter.com/bb/uploads/step2.gif
9. Remove the push-pin retainer (1) that secures the fresh air inlet housing (2) to the right inner fender (6).
10. Disengage the wire harness retainer (3) from inside the bottom of the fresh air inlet housing.
11. Remove the push-pin retainer (5) that secures the insulator (4) to the front of the fresh air inlet housing and position the insulator out of the way.
http://www.moparsupercenter.com/bb/uploads/step3.gif
12. On all models, remove the two nuts (1) that secure the fresh air inlet housing (5) and air inlet water separator (2) or particulate air filter (8) and housing (7) (depending on application) to the dash panel (4).
13. On early model year vehicles, remove the fresh air inlet water separator or particulate air filter and housing (depending on application) from inside of the fresh air inlet housing.
14. On early model year vehicles, reach into the fresh air inlet housing and remove the two nuts (3 and 6) that secure the fresh air inlet housing to the dash panel and remove the housing from the dash panel.
15. On late model year vehicles, remove the fresh air inlet housing and air inlet water separator or particulate air filter and housing (depending on application) as an assembly from the dash panel.
http://www.moparsupercenter.com/bb/uploads/step4.gif
(#2 is only on vehicles equipped without the filter)

[Ted@MPSC]

You do not need to replace the outer housing, they are identical. The only thing you need to do is replace the inner housing that holds the filter. The above instructions are taken straight from the service manual. We have a couple of techs that can do these in about 20 minutes, but they have done more than one before. The more you do this, the easier it gets. The actual Mopar accessory cabin filter kit has you breaking the lower outboard stud off, rather than trying to put the nut back on it. Another alternative would be to replace the "Hard to get at" nut with a speed clip washer that you could slide over the stud to hold the housing tight to the firewall. If you ever had to remove this though, it would be a problem.

[Yabi]

I tried running a search and found nothing... what's the main reason for doing this addition?

[mnunes]

It's a filter for the air coming into the passenger compartment. Does wonders for air quality, especially if you have allergies. The filter element is replaceable (just pop-out and slide in a new one) so you only have to do all this work once.

[CarAddict]

Man, I wish this would have been posted before Friday when I tried to install mine. After a couple of hours I failed, miserably. I think I might be able to install it now after lessons learned and the instructions in this thread, but I would have to order another one as I broke my last one.
Waiting for the bitterness to subside before I decide on plunking down more cash for something I should have been able to do the first time... :beat:

[Go Man GO 3521]

All I installed was the internal part that holds the element.

Install not so bad took about 35 minutes.

Just make sure to put the inset in the rear of the housing.

[KentBETA]

Well, That hurt like hell. A combo of removing the wiper arm, and the black frame strut helped. It was a bear getting the filter holder behind the large bucket AND into its groove. But it will work.

[Justintime2]

Definitely not an easy install for those of us who don't do them over and over again. :(